Must-see hotels in Western Desert

  • Adrère Amellal

    Siwa Oasis

    Backed by the dramatic White Mountain (called Adrère Amellal in Siwan language), this impeccable retreat lies in its own oasis, 13km from Siwa Town, with…

  • Al Tarfa Desert Sanctuary

    Western Desert

    Taking the high end to unheard-of heights in Dakhla, Al Tarfa is flat-out desert-fabulous. The traditionally inspired decor is superbly tasteful and…

  • Siwa Relax Retreat

    Siwa Oasis

    Far away from it all, this place is a dream in which to totally relax for a few days. Built on the edge of the lake, the simple but comfortable rooms are…

  • Shali Lodge

    Siwa Oasis

    This tiny, beautiful hotel, owned by environmentalist Mounir Neamatallah, is nestled in a lush palm grove about 100m from Siwa's main square. The large…

  • Sosal Center for Ethnic Arts and Crafts

    Western Desert

    This lovely villa with five bedrooms is a delightful place to stay for a few days. The house has a kitchen, comfortable living room with a fireplace, and…

  • Al Babinshal Heritage Hotel

    Siwa Oasis

    This gorgeous, curvy mud-brick hotel is seamlessly grafted onto, and part of, the Shali fortress with its labyrinthine architecture all built from kershef…

  • Rahala Safari Hotel

    Western Desert

    This small, delightful hotel was built by the Farafaruni brothers, with domed rooms all equipped with TV, air-con, wi-fi and bathrooms. The rooms are set…

  • Taziry Ecolodge

    Siwa Oasis

    This peaceful hotel 12km west of Siwa Town was designed and built by an artist and an engineer from Alexandria. Large natural-material rooms are decorated…

  • Kharga Oasis Hotel

    Western Desert

    This homage to the 1960s' love of concrete blocks is your best bet for bedding down for the night in Al Kharga. The main building sports large rooms with…

  • Beit Ad Diyafa Al Asdiqa

    Western Desert

    Badr Abdel Moghny, the man who created Badr's Museum, had another dream: to make a small guesthouse where creative people can find a peaceful home away…

  • Talist

    Siwa Oasis

    Talist, meaning 'lake' in the Amazig language, is a place to get away from it all. On offer in this family-owned ecolodge are simple but comfortable rooms…

  • Nanshaal

    Siwa Oasis

    At the edge of Shali, Nanshaal is a tranquil haven, with a few rooms in a restored mud-brick house. Run by the laid-back Faris Hassanein, the rooms here…

  • Maraki Camp

    Siwa Oasis

    The perfect place to relax for a few days, this small, simple and beautifully designed camp has 12 mud-brick rooms on the lake with bathrooms, mosquito…

  • Qasr Alzaytuna

    Siwa Oasis

    Perfect for those who want a restful getaway, Qasr Alzaytuna has neat-as-a-pin rooms (some with dinky balconies) and a tranquil date-palm garden complete…

  • Return to the Source

    Siwa Oasis

    Camille Ainsley has lived in Siwa for 15 years, running health-based retreats from her family's farm. She offers delightful accommodation, in addition to…

  • Desert Lodge

    Western Desert

    This thoughtfully designed, ecofriendly mud-brick fortress of a lodge crowns the hilltop at the eastern edge of Al Qasr, overlooking the old town. Rooms…

  • Bedouin Camp & El Dohous Village

    Western Desert

    El Dohous Village, 3km from Mut centre, has a huge variety of domed and curvy rooms that give off good vibes, all decorated with local crafts. The hilltop…

  • Al Badawiya Safari & Hotel

    Western Desert

    The brothers who run Al Badawiya dominate Farafra tourism with their hotel and safari outfit. Comfortable domed rooms have plenty of traditional Bedouin…

  • Palm Trees Hotel

    Siwa Oasis

    If you can handle the mosquitoes (seriously, bring bug-spray), then this popular budget hotel is a lovely place to stay. It has sufficiently tidy rooms…

  • Al Qasr Hotel

    Western Desert

    This old backpacker favourite sits above a cafe-restaurant on the main highway through Al Qasr. Rooms are as basic as they get, but there’s a breezy…

  • Siwa Astro Camp

    Siwa Oasis

    One of the few places you can stay out in the desert is at Astro camp, 9km from town, between two mountains. The accommodation is in clean tents, with a…

  • Siwa Safari Paradise

    Siwa Oasis

    Laid out along a maze of garden paths, this resort-style hotel mainly attracts northern Europeans looking to sunbake by the natural spring pool. The…

  • Siwa Shali Resort

    Siwa Oasis

    This self-contained village of traditionally styled bungalows snakes its way along a 500m spring-fed pool. While the rooms are nothing special, suites…

  • Siwa Safari Gardens Hotel

    Siwa Oasis

    This simple but supremely tidy hotel gets all the little things right: clean, bright rooms and a serene palm-shaded courtyard with a gleaming spring-fed…

  • Kalamoun Village

    Western Desert

    Small self-catering guesthouse with three rooms, a communal kitchen living room and pleasant garden. Located in the small Kalamoun Village, it's close to…

  • El Forsan Hotel

    Western Desert

    Ignore the creepy horror-movie corridor as you enter – El Forsan is the best budget deal in town. The place is well kept and even has duvets in the air…

  • Qasr Al Bagawat

    Western Desert

    Small and charming eco-lodge with 22 domed mudbrick rooms decorated in local style. There is a hot spring for bathing, a lovely garden for shade and a…

  • Dream Lodge Hotel

    Siwa Oasis

    Delightful small hotel with 22 rooms built in local style around a swimming pool. It's all surrounded by a shady garden, where an Egyptian breakfast is…

  • Sol Y Mar Pioneers Hotel

    Western Desert

    This vast salmon-pink resort still offers the most comfortable and only properly clean rooms in Al Kharga. The staff is wonderfully friendly, the swimming…

  • Kelany Hotel

    Siwa Oasis

    Kelany's small rooms may be showing their age, but they're still a step above other budget places in Siwa; if you're looking for a cheap sleep with air…

  • Camp Bir Al Gabal

    Western Desert

    This guesthouse has 12 simple domed rooms with clean bathrooms in mud-brick chalets. The chalets are set in a delightful garden on the edge of the desert,…

  • El Radwan Hotel

    Western Desert

    One of the only decent (and we use that word loosely) budget hotels in Al Kharga. The air-con mostly works, the water runs and the rooms pass muster if…

  • Anwar Hotel

    Western Desert

    Friendly Mr Anwar runs this family establishment with gusto and offers flexibly priced, relatively clean rooms with shared or private bathroom options…

  • Al Waha Hotel

    Western Desert

    This small, spartan hotel has acceptably clean, well-worn rooms with faux-oriental rugs. In summer the cement walls throb with heat. Newer, more…

  • El Negoom Hotel

    Western Desert

    On a quiet street behind the tourist office, north of Sharia As Sawra Al Khadra, this friendly hotel has a homey lobby and a span of sparsely furnished…